The HPV Vaccine Saves Lives, So Why Aren't More Kids Getting It?

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes more than 30,000 cases of cancer in the U.S. every year. It’s the primary cause of cervical cancer in women, and a contributing cause to several other types of cancer in women and men. We know that future cases of HPV-caused cancer could be avoided with a safe vaccine administered when a child is 11 or 12 years old, and yet only around half of kids are getting it. Why?

CBS Sunday Morning ran a special episode focused on cancer with a segment on preventable cancers caused by HPV. Contributor Dr. Tara Narula made a convincing case that the failure to vaccinate all children is nothing less than a public health crisis, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. Thousands of people will die from cancers caused by HPV, and many of those deaths could have been prevented.

The problem, Narula argued, begins on the front lines of healthcare—with professionals with direct patient contact. “The problem lies in part with pediatricians and other providers who haven't been aggressive enough in talking to parents about it. Studies show that a forceful endorsement from a physician is the most important factor in whether children get the vaccine.”

And, as with many vaccines, there’s also fear that the HPV vaccine may not be safe. But studies have shown otherwise—the vaccine is safe, with just a few possible side effects, most of which are minor. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people have a positive reaction to the vaccine, with the most common side effects being “swelling in the arm where the shot was given, fever, headache or feeling tired, nausea, and muscle or joint pain.” In other words, the same sorts of minor side effects that accompany any vaccine. Some people experience fainting spells, which can be prevented by sitting for 15 minutes after getting the shot.

The HPV vaccine is also saddled with a certain stigma: parents have to admit that their kids will eventually be sexually active, and that can be a tough pill swallow when your child is only 11 or 12. But the point of that age target is to administer the vaccine well before sexual activity begins; it’s the single best way to protect the child from life-threatening cancers later on.

As it stands, only 63% of girls and 50% of boys in the U.S. get the vaccine, making it the most underutilized immunization available for children. Narula points out that that puts the U.S. behind Canada, Australia, the U.K. and even Rwanda. That has to change. Quoting Narula, “We need to do better at protecting our children from cancers they never need to get.”

David DiSalvo is the author of "Brain Changer: How Harnessing Your Brain’s Power to Adapt Can Change Your Life" and the best-selling "What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite", which has been published in 13 languages. His work has appeared in Scientif...